The 2023 Tremendous Bowl delivered distinctive scores and an thrilling recreation. As per traditional, nevertheless, some viewers have been extra within the commercials than the motion on the sphere. This yr’s lineup actually delivered, although the adverts have been removed from groundbreaking.
Whereas we anticipated all the standard themes for this yr’s commercials, there have been a couple of modest surprises. Sure, acquainted ideas dominated — however they nonetheless managed to make us really feel impressed, delighted, and nostalgic. Our favorites this yr included these gems:
1. Dunkin’ Donuts: Drive-Through That includes Ben Affleck
Mixing one of the best of viral, TikTok-inspired themes with big-budget celeb magic, Dunkin’ Donuts produced a transparent winner with its iconic Ben Affleck advert. On this showstopper of a industrial, the Hollywood star hit up a drive-thru Dunkin’ Donuts location close to Boston, the place he performed up his infamous love for the franchise.
Affleck’s superfan standing alone would have been sufficient to get viewers speaking, however the industrial took an surprising flip when his fiance (and former halftime present star) Jennifer Lopez all of a sudden confirmed up and questioned why her sweetheart was working at Dunkin’. This was a enjoyable twist, however the advert can’t fairly be deemed cutting-edge. That’s precisely what made it so satisfying: it’s enjoyable to see acquainted faces in a comforting setting.
2. The Farmer’s Canine: Ceaselessly
Yearly, at the very least a couple of Tremendous Bowl adverts pull on the heartstrings. It’s a tried-and-tested methodology that by no means fails to get even probably the most cynical viewers to take a seat up and take word. In 2023, a industrial from the subscription service, The Farmer’s Canine, clearly achieved simply that.
This impactful advert adopted a well-recognized, however touching story: the love between a toddler and her canine — and the way it stays fixed by means of adolescence and maturity.
Whereas it’d really feel barely formulaic, one of these industrial is a constant winner for a motive: it reminds us what actually issues — and lets us know that manufacturers, like The Farmer’s Canine are aligned with our deepest-held values. It actually struck a chord, because it was prime canine within the USA At the moment Advert Meter rankings.
3. Amazon: Saving Sawyer
Once more proving that canine are a recipe for Tremendous Bowl success, Amazon put a unique, however extremely relatable twist on a well-recognized idea. The heartwarming Saving Sawyer advert reminded us how far we’ve come and the way a lot we’ve handled these previous few years. By means of transient snippets of dialog, we revisited the largest shakeups of the period — all from the attitude of a loyal canine companion.
One other central theme on this advert? How canine and people alike wrestle to adapt to vary. For Sawyer, this issue surrounded the return of his human companions to the workplace after fixed togetherness throughout lockdown.
The industrial reminds us that artistic options are at all times across the nook; on this occasion, a second canine ought to do the trick. The advertising takeaway, nevertheless, entails the enduring energy of ad-based storytelling, particularly when it comprises compelling particulars from collective experiences equivalent to life throughout the COVID period.
4. PopCorners: Breaking Good
Following the collection finale of Higher Name Saul, followers assumed that the world was lastly completed with the Breaking Dangerous universe. Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul thought in any other case; they returned to their trusty RV in effective kind, simply in time for the Tremendous Bowl. They changed their iconic blue meth with one thing much more harmful: mouthwatering chips.
This advert’s surprising recognition reveals the facility of a well-timed and totally surprising throwback. Simply sufficient time has handed for a Breaking Dangerous callout to really feel thrilling however not overplayed. With the quick tempo of selling tendencies, there’s one thing to be mentioned for acquainted faces and a hilarious premise. This prompted spectacular engagement on Twitter, the place PopCorners was one of the vital talked-about adverts of the night.
The casting and TV parody idea, will not be the one half value remembering, but in addition, PopCorners’ emphasis on social media promotion earlier than, throughout, and after the Tremendous Bowl. This digital-first method produced lots of buzz, which clearly contributed to the advert’s success.
5. Normal Motors & Netflix: Why Not an EV?
Each Tremendous Bowl broadcast is full of automotive adverts — and 2023 was no exception. Electrical choices have been a transparent theme this yr, however one title went above and past in its efforts to construct goodwill for EVs: Normal Motors.
GM’s advert stood out just because the automaker had the foresight to associate with Netflix. The artistic premise centered round Netflix’s efforts to include extra EVs in its productions.
To drive this theme house, the advert included callouts to prime hits of the previous few years: Squid Sport, Bridgerton, and Stranger Issues. Add Will Ferrell to the combo and you’ve got the makings of an unforgettable advert. CMO Deborah Wahl described this technique as a concerted effort to “place EVs into the epicenter of contemporary tradition.”
There’s little to name groundbreaking about these 2023 Tremendous Bowl adverts however that’s not what’s required of a stable industrial. This yr’s adverts replicate a transparent understanding that custom and throwbacks can repay, particularly when digital channels complement these TV-based efforts. We anticipate this well-rounded technique to as soon as once more dominate in Tremendous Bowls to return.
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